The Supreme Court of Pakistan issued a verdict that restricts the media from airing any public comments or discussions on sub judice matters.

The top court said that any content on the court proceedings of the case, police records and other sources are allowed to be aired with correct facts. (Representional Image

The Supreme Court of Pakistan on Thursday issued a verdict that restricts the media from airing any public comments or discussions on sub judice matters.

The oft-used term media trial’ is a real phenomenon and cannot be allowed where the fate of sub judice matters is being decided on public forums as not only the minds of the public are being influenced, but also potentially the minds of the judges, lawyers and investigators, which would obviously tend to prejudice the sub judice matter, said the 33-page verdict as reported by The Express Tribune.

The apex court has directed Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA to take action against any TV channels airing “assumons, inferences and conclusions from evidence or the documents filed in a case and stepping into the shoes of a judge on broadcasted programmes”.

The top court said that any content on the court proceedings of the case, police records and other sources are allowed to be aired with correct facts, however, no discussions or analysis are to be aired in the programmes that may hamper the ongoing investigation.